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1988 Chevrolet Beretta

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Beretta.

The 1988 Chevrolet Beretta specifies a 4-quart engine oil capacity using 5W-30 API viscosity, with reliability records documenting 89 owner complaints and five recalls, Structure constituting the top complaint area. Existing just prior to the 1990-2002 complaint tracking window yet registering 89 grievances, this model year approaches the 1994 peak of 108 complaints while significantly exceeding the 1997 low of a single report. That placement positions the 1988 edition as an early indicator of the elevated complaint activity that would crest in 1994 before subsiding to minimal levels by 1997.

Model year1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1989 1988 1987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25095707 alt 25043334
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	14090086 alt 88986827
Thermostat	19435095 alt 10226107

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.4 in
Overall width	68.1 in
Overall height	55.1 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2612 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Beretta of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.20 sec — 1988 GTU Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1988	GTU Coupe 2.8L V6	9.20 sec	17.00 sec	125 hp	FWD
1987	GT Coupe 2.8L V6	8.30 sec	16.30 sec	125 hp	FWD
1990	GTZ Coupe 2.3L I-4	7.50 sec	15.90 sec	180 hp	FWD
1990	GTZ Coupe 2.3L I-4	7.70 sec	16.10 sec	180 hp	FWD
1990	GT Coupe 3.1L V6	8.50 sec	16.30 sec	140 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record for the Chevrolet Beretta begins in 1990, omitting the target year of 1988 and preventing a direct year-by-year comparison for the earliest model years. However, examining the broader generation arc from 1990 onward, complaints generally climbed from 50 in 1990 to a significant peak of 108 in 1994, before tapering off in the late 1990s; recalls remained consistently low throughout the documented generation, never exceeding two per year. While 1988 cannot be placed directly within this specific arc, the isolated data for the 1988 model shows concentrated complaints in the Structure (15), Electrical System (10), Steering (10), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (9) categories, alongside 5 crash and 5 fire complaints. The data does not specify the root causes for these 1988 issues. Given the lack of early-generation federal trend data and the presence of notable structural, electrical, and safety-related complaints, a used 1988 Beretta carries inherent risks that are difficult to benchmark against the better-documented 1990s models, making it a less transparent purchase compared to later years in the generation.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 5 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 89 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure15

Electrical System10

Steering10

Service Brakes, Hydraulic9

Seat Belts8

Engine & Engine Cooling7

Latches/Locks/Linkages7

Power Train5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

89V225000Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And AttachmentsReported 18/12/1989

A DOOR HINGE (UPPER OR LOWER) MAY BREAK WHILE OPENING OR CLOSING THE DOOR MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO REPOSITION AND CLOSE PROPERLY. Remedy: REPLACE DOOR HINGES ON BOTH DOORS.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Beretta. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 25095707 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354418

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Beretta take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Beretta have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.